There’s nothing quite like a fire crackling in the hotel lobby to get you excited for the cold season. If you’re planning a vacation this winter, finding the right accommodation is the key to ensuring you’re cozy — even if the temperatures plummet. From upstate New York to a mountain town in Montana, here are 10 hotels to narrow down your hunt for the perfect holiday retreat.
Washington School House Hotel
Park City, Utah
The skier’s paradise of Park City, Utah, has no shortage of mountain retreats, spa resorts, and ski-in/ski-out lodges, but the 19th-century mining town also has its share of historic properties. The Washington School House Hotel’s history dates back to 1889, when it was one of the city's three original schools, and the hammered limestone façade is carefully preserved today as a hotel. With a terraced heated pool and spa on the hillside, the hotel includes updated amenities like white-marble tubs, crystal chandeliers, and gallery walls with remnants of the structure’s storied past, such as reclaimed barnwood floors and European antiques. Guests can utilize the ski valet service and enjoy complimentary breakfast and après-ski fare fireside in the chic ski lounge.
Williamsburg Inn
Williamsburg, Virginia
Colonial Williamsburg is a treasured American city with a storied history dating back before the American Revolution, when it served as the capital of the Virginia Colony. Designed by the Rockefellers, the Williamsburg Inn is a testament to the city’s history, representing the height of luxury with its Regency-style architecture, stunning manicured grounds, and signature suites with antique furniture. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip even visited the iconic inn twice — once in 1957 and again in 2007, and guests can stay in the Queen’s Suite as well as the Churchill Suite, where Winston Churchill stayed in 1946 after delivering his famous “Iron Curtain” speech. The hotel is the perfect place for history buffs to feel at home during the holidays.
The Grand Idyllwild Lodge
Idyllwild, California
Lake Tahoe, Big Bear, and Mammoth Lakes are popular California destinations come winter, but the charming unincorporated community of Idyllwild promises similar mountain vistas with less crowds. Only a stone’s throw from Palm Springs, visitors will be surprised to make the drive up the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway and watch as the cactuses of the desert turn to snow-carpeted woodlands and the craggy peaks of the San Jacinto Mountains. The Grand Idyllwild Lodge is a lovely Craftsman-style bed-and-breakfast featuring private decks offering panoramic views, fireplaces, a complimentary sauna, on-site spa, library, and cozy lounge.
Settlers Inn
Hawley, Pennsylvania
Settle into a suite in the heart of the Poconos and you may never want to check out! The idyllic Settlers Inn is nestled near Lake Wallenpaupack, the second-largest lake in Pennsylvania, and features a full-service farm-to-table restaurant and suites with Jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces, and thoughtful English Arts and Crafts-style décor and furniture to reflect the surrounding woods and its 1920s heritage. Holidays are especially magical here, with candlelit Christmas trees and evening storytelling dinners.
Hotel Teatro
Denver, Colorado
The Mile High City is a mecca for winter sports, which means winter is one of the best times to visit. The Colorado capital has its slew of trendy boutique hotels and quaint bed-and-breakfasts, but Hotel Teatro in the LoDo neighborhood takes the cake for best fireplace. Indulge at the hotel’s award-winning restaurant The Nickel before sipping a nightcap fireside. The hotel rooms are equally as cozy with fresh white linens and comfy upholstered furnishings, making it easy to tuck yourself in when the weather’s cold.
Chena Hot Springs Resort
Fairbanks, Alaska
If witnessing an aurora in Alaska is on your bucket list, book a flight to Fairbanks. Chena Hot Springs Resort is a relaxing retreat with heated pools and spas both indoors and outdoors, including the natural Hot Springs Lake which is a balmy 106 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. When the snows arrive, the resort transforms into a winter wonderland with snowmobile tours, dog-sledding, ice-fishing, and even an ice museum tour available to guests. The resort is also considered one of the best places in the world to see an aurora, so your odds are pretty good if you stay for a few nights.
The Inn and Spa at Loretto
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Celebrating the colorful culture and style of New Mexico, the Inn and Spa at Loretto is a festive gathering spot for the holidays. The resort is one of the most photographed buildings in the state, and for good reason. Its illuminated adobe exterior is quintessentially Southwestern, and the windows all aglow in evening are magical from the hotel’s heated garden pool. Walking distance to Santa Fe’s historic plaza, the inn is in the perfect location to experience the artisan shops filled with Talavera pottery and enjoy green chile chicken enchiladas afterward.
Grouse Mountain Lodge
Whitefish, Montana
On the doorstep of Glacier National Park, Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Montana, is a quintessential cozy cabin retreat. With snowshoe rentals; discounted lift tickets at Whitefish Mountain Resort; an outdoor hot tub; sauna; shuttles to the airport, downtown, and train station; and secure storage for your ski gear, this hotel makes planning your dream winter escape a breeze.
Whiteface Lodge
Lake Placid, New York
Arguably one of the most impressive lodges in America, Whiteface Lodge in the Adirondacks is New York’s favorite winter retreat. The village of Lake Placid was home to two Winter Olympic Games and the luxury resort is adorned with antlers, wood paneling, cast-iron fireplaces, and rustic décor around every corner. The award-winning spa offers massages, facials, and nail treatments, and guests can also enjoy the ice-skating rink, pools, bowling alley, and more before braving the frost-covered forest for some wintertime fun.
The Charleston Place
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is a magical place during the months leading up to Christmas. Every historic home in the city gets into the holiday spirit: poinsettia wreaths dress up front doors, garlands neatly wrap around banisters, and gas lanterns flicker in the dark. You’ll feel the spirit of the season at the Charleston Place, an iconic hotel known for its decorated trees, piano music, and winter village display with a train that kids will love. Wander the hall of designer stores to do some window shopping before warming up with a hot bowl of she-crab soup — it’s a local delicacy!
